Snap-off specimen collection device
AssigneeCytyc Corporation
InventorLarry Burg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed herein is a cell collection device, comprising a shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion, each portion having a proximal end and a distal end; a detachable joint between said proximal portion and said distal portion; and a cell collection portion at said distal end of said distal portion; whereby when said proximal portion and said distal portion are detached at said detachable joint, said proximal end of said distal portion is attachable to a vial cap.
Claims22
A cell collection device, comprising
- a shaft having a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a detachable joint located between the proximal and distal portions;
- and
- a cell collector carried on a distal end of the distal portion, wherein a proximal end of the distal portion is configured for attachment to a vial cap when the proximal portion and distal portion are detached at the detachable joint.
A vial for storing a biological sample, comprising a vial cap, the cap comprising an underside, the underside comprising a mechanism configured to attach to a shaft of a cell collection device.
A method of collecting a biological sample with a cell collection device, the device comprising a shaft having a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a detachable joint located between the proximal and distal portions, the device further comprising and a cell collector carried on a distal end of the shaft distal portion, the method comprising:
- obtaining the biological sample using the cell collector;
- detaching the proximal portion of the shaft from the distal portion of the shaft at the detachable joint;
- attaching the proximal end of the shaft distal portion to an underside of a vial cap;
- and
- securing the cap and attached shaft distal portion to a vial having a solution therein, such that at least a portion of the cell collector is located below the surface of the solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.